I come in often because Rich is an honest, patient, and helpful expert. If you come in with a minor issue, he'll tell you that, and it's priced appropriately. I came in with a small issue which he fixed on the spot and sent me on my way, telling me what to look out for and what could be done if the issue persists. The shop's a fixture of the community as well, having been family run for 80 years, and the building itself has been a bike shop since the Great Depression. Always enjoy hearing neighborhood history from Rich, and more than happy to support a local business as honest and helpful as this one is. read more

Gary's Cycle Shop - Bikes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very friendly interaction, I was quoted 130-200 for a whole overhaul on my derailleur and hanger as well as the chain and any other parts that may need to be repaired on my bike; I believe his name is Rich but he ran me through everything that I'd need to get done and assured me my bike was in the right place and was wondering if I was willing to be patient, so I agreed, it is a 2 month wait since parts will need to be special ordered, my family has been coming to this bike shop for repairs since the early 00's and we haven't regretted it once; high quality repairs and it's done right. If you can I highly recommend taking this shop over any other nearby ones, as this shop takes the time and actually cares about your bike enough to get it running perfectly; Will be returning for any future repairs for as long as this shop is around and I'm in the area still! read more

Gary's Cycle Shop - Bike in front of Business - Bikes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

over charged for jimmy rigged work. I took my bike to the recyclery and actually fixed it for free

Gary's is a very good, and honest, small "Local Bike Shop" (LBS). The store is run by Gary's sociable & helpful son Rich (the salesperson/front-manager) and Gary's daughter (the quietly expert mechanic), because Gary himself is mostly retired. (Other Yelp reviewers have confused Rich with Gary.) Repair work for me has been good. Prices on repairs, new bikes, parts, and accessories are excellent - lower than average. The quiet mechanic has the experience to fix even 60-year-old 3-speed bikes (unlike some youngsters elsewhere); you can admire the circa-1960 Peugeot hanging in the window. Even before the COVID-time supply crisis, accessory selection was slightly limited. But, Gary's is probably not your place if you're looking for the latest in very sporty or "hipster" bikes. Whenever the repair backlog at GAry's gets overwhelming (i.e, when there is no more room on the floor), they temporarily limit new repair orders to only Schwinn bikes, as they are a Schwinn dealer from back before the original Schwinn firm collapsed in the 1990s. (Dorel Pacific bought the Schwinn name in 2001; their 21st c. "Schwinns" are not as indestructible as the 1950s-1980s Schwinns were. But the bike-shop-Schwinn line sold by Gary's, including the 7-speed that my spouse bought at Gary's, is still a cut above the more poorly-made department-store-Schwinn line. Plus, department stores don't take the time to properly adjust the bearings, spokes, or cables of ANY bike before selling it. Note that almost all new bikes below $2,000 of any brand, and many bikes more expensive than that, are made in Chinese factories for large multi-brand importers like Dorel Pacific. See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwinn_Bicycle_Company .) read more

Went in with a vague sense of the parts I needed. To be clear, this is a risky move that I don't recommend; regardless, the guy was willing and able to help me figure it out. All worked perfectly and were priced reasonably. read more

The owner is pleasant and knowledgeable. While disappointed that I wasn't notified when the work on my bike was done, all in all this was a good experience. Feels good to support a small/local shop. read more

I bought my bike here after a good recommendation, and I have been impressed!! The owner Gary has been very knowledgeable, honest, and helpful. He made sure I got what I needed. After you buy a new bike, you have a free tuneup a few weeks later after you "break the bike in, and you can always stop by for "free air." He always gives me very sound advice when I have a question or issue. I've already been recommending this to all my friends!! read more

Walked in for a flat tire repair as I was on my way north for a long ride. Rich, the owners son, was quick to help me out on the fly and even gave me tips and walk through tutorial on properly fixing a tire. The family there is very friendly! And Gary is 92 years young running the shop - cool stuff! read more

Gary's Cycle Shop - Bikes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Had a flat on my way to work. Stupidly, was not carrying a spare tube or my tools. Gary was open and hooked me up with a tube and tools to get me back on the road at a reasonable price. Nice, helpful folks. read more

My family and I have been going to Gary's since the 70's/80's!!! It's simply the best, all around bike shop!

I needed a new bike seat and was looking around. I saw the great reviews at Gary's so stopped on in. Cute old shop. He had a great selection, listened to my needs and got me helped out. The price was great and he installed the seat for me. He made sure it was comfortable! Def recommend! Gary was great! read more

Great service, patient, friendly and family owned, this is the only place I'll go for my cycle needs! read more

Gary's Cycle Shop - Bikes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Awesome family run place. They won't let me post this until I write some more words, so here are some more words. ....I hope these are enough.... read more

Far from home. Had a flat. Dropped my bike at Gary's. Ate lunch. Came back. Rode my bike home. Couldn't have had a better experience. Unless maybe Gary was Don Cheadle. Then I could go around saying Don Cheadle helped me with my bike once and that was pretty cool. But besides that it was as good as it gets. read more

I have been a customer here for a few years and wanted to write a review as I am moving away - because I will miss this shop. Sure, it's not much to look at, and the business owners are regular folks working hard every day. There are a couple of aspects that make this store stand out: 1. The owners are actually very friendly and knowledgeable. Once you approach them about something, they will go the distance with you. I bought saddle bags during my last visit, and Gary came outside to make sure I attached them correctly (which I hadn't). 2. Prices are very reasonable on all bikes, parts, accessories, and labor. 3. I called a few places (including those with Groupons) in the spring about a tune-up. Most places in that neighborhood had a 4-8 week wait. Gary's got my bike tuned up in about a week and it was cheaper than at the other places. 4. They are only open until 6 p.m., which is a bit of a stretch for me to get to after work. A few times I called ahead and they waited for me to get there, even though I was running behind. read more

I went in looking for a bike. The prices were reasonable, but I just didn't find what I wanted. The store was overcrowded with repairs, but no big deal. The salesmen were nice--not pushy. I bought a nice U-Lock. I would definitely go there again for bike accessories. Looks like a great place to pick up a Schwinn Cruiser. Note: they only repair Schwinn, Mongoose, and GT. Give this local shop your business--you'll be glad you did. read more

I had gotten a flat and was walking my bike past Heartland Cafe. I asked if anyone knew of a bike shop and someone mentioned Gary's. So I walked my bike in total from Sheridan and Lunt to Clark and Devon. I got to Gary's and walked in with my flat to the rim tire at 5:30. I was told, "we're closing in like 20 minutes, you'll have to come back tomorrow". I explained how far I'd pushed the bike and asked "seriously"? They motioned to a hose on the floor and said I might get a little ways if I put some air in the tire. Enough said. I came home, looked up another bike shop I will go to for the SIMPLE repair. If zero stars were an option, Gary's would be the first to earn that zero. I plan to steer anyone who mentions anything about bicycles away from Gary's. Don't you think a store owner would know better? Coulda just sold me an inner tube. read more

I grew up in this neighborhood and my brother and I would go to Gary's cycle shop as kids with our bikes in the 80's and they fixed us up. Just this morning sent my own kid to Gary's to get her breaks fixed. They fixed it in 5 minutes, were super nice, made her feel comfortable and got her back on her wheels asap. I absolutely love the small town neighborhood friendly service in this big city. Gary's Cycle Shop has us as customers for life and multiple generations. read more

I loved this place. Took in my bike after leaving it in the snow all winter (cough, cough) and gave them free rein. They called the next day to go over the repairs, which came out to about $100. No bullshit, no pressure to buy extra parts, just a thorough tune-up for my vintage bike. I appreciated the fast tune up and non-nonsense service here. I will definitely be back! read more

Small bike shop that sells mostly Schwinn. Quite a few road bikes, classic bikes, and kids bikes, but no triathlon bikes. This place also does tune ups, and fixes flat tires. They fixed me up, and got me back on the road with a brand new tire. Great speedy service! Im positively sure that i will be back in the future. read more

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I crashed my bike and took it to Gary's because honestly it was the closest place. The guy working there told me my craigslist bike had been rebuilt incorrectly and that the derailleur it needed was no longer manufactured. I told him I really needed the bike so he told me it might work if he used a different kind and did the work for a very low price, from what I can tell. Unfortunately, considering the overall state of my bike and the fact that it's just built wrong, the other derailleur didn't really work out. When I took it back he offered to make it a fixie for nothing. Overall I really appreciated that the guy working there (didn't catch his name but I assume he's the owner so Gary, I guess) really took his time weighing the options as far as my bike and my very low budget were concerned. He's very straight-forward and, from what I can tell, very honest. read more

Gary's is a small neighborhood bicycle shop that's been around for many many years. Independently owned, small business. Right now with COVID-19 bike shops are very very busy, people are home and want to ride bicycles, that's we making bicycle shops in every city very busy. Gary helped me with a basic problem on my bicycle even though he was way backed up. This is a great bike shop, neighborhood business and these are the type of businesses we should be supporting! Great bike store! Give them a visit. Buy a bicycle.!! read more

This is a great shop right out of a previous era. It's a family run business of the best kind. Gary's son runs the place but Gary himself is usually around, fixing something or hanging out. It's always filled with bikes so you can hardly walk in, but they've always had room for mine, and they work on it right away. He won't sell you something you don't need, he knows what he's talking about, and won't overcharge. Nice guy and always a fair deal. If you buy a new bike there (they have mid-range models) I hear they'll tune it up, fill the air, tweak it, etc. as long as you want, free. It's a nice relief from the pressure and pretense of some of the other shops. Rogers Park is lucky to have this old-fashioned neighborhood bike shop. read more

I've been buying bikes at Gary's since childhood. Recently my husband wanted a bike so we went to get him a shiny new Schwinn. Gary is still there but his son is the guy in charge these days. After he test-drove and finally selected a bike, he was taken in the "back" for a 20 minute lesson on gear shifting. Awesome. There's no attitude here - but it is really, really small. So if there are more than two people in the shop it can feel a little crowded. read more

This is a bike shop that won't repair your bike. They will only repair bikes they sell. If you need to get your bike fixed or tuned up, you have to go elsewhere. read more

Definitely old-school, low-key shop like others have said. Rich is friendly, knew my Varsity like the back of his hand -- things that you'd only know by doing this stuff since the 60s. You are treated you like a person and never pressured to buy anything. Only possibly negative point is the claustrophobic affect -- the shop is PACKED with gear. They have rearranged recently but you'll be bumping into bikes. Maybe that's a sign that they're just that good ;) read more

I stopped off by Gary's again. I needed a bike tool to break the chain off my bike to replace it. I went to two other bike shops in the city before I bought this tool, just because. It was $3 cheaper here than anywhere else. Again. Way to go Gary. read more

Great service! Very helpful. I had to crate my bike because I was moving down to FL. and they helped me out without any questions! If i wasn't moving I would go to them with all my bike needs! read more

We've been to Gary's twice- outstanding work ethic and customer service. This shop has been around for almost 70 years- and you can tell by their devotion to get it right. Trust Gary's with your bike. read more

This was my first experience at Gary's. I recently purchased a quality aluminum road bike from the 90s on craigslist. I dropped it off for a check and tune-up. I was told it'd be $80 and take a week. No problem, I'm willing to wait to support a local business. When I picked up the bike he mentioned that I might need a new chain and back sprocket down the line. When I rode the bike home I realized that I needed one immediately. Then, a few days later, as I was biking around, the left pedal broke off the crank arm because it had not been properly installed. The kicker is that because of this, I'll need a whole need crankset now. It seems like they never took it for a test ride and never checked their handy work. Honestly, I'm not sure what my $80 tune-up went to--I guess the grease? In the future I'm going to Uptown Bikes as I've never had such amateur problems there. read more

Should have came here first than Roberts cycle. Very nice elderly couple. Dropped my bike off and picked it up the next day. Will def be back to get more work done in the future if needed. read more

I stood in the shop for what felt like 15 minutes and not a single person acknowledged me. They saw me come in, the bells on the door jingled and I am sure they heard me come in, but they didn't say hello or let me know when if ever, they were going to help me. I stood in their tiny shop with money in my pocket ready to spend and was ignored. I wanted to ride a new bike home today so I am going to a diffrent bike shop. Next time just say hello, cause this time you just lost a sale and now new potential customers. read more

I moved into the neighborhood a few months ago and was therefore much further from my prefered bike shop of years(Uptown Bikes). I read a previous review that says they only fix Schwinn bikes, and there is a sign for it, but the sign looks super old and I called and was told it was okay to bring my Trek in. First, the place is a mess. I mean bikes everywhere, you can barely walk in the place or get out... I know it is small but do they honestly sell 50+ bikes every summer? Enough where it is worth to lock repair customers out? Second, as someone who used to work at a repair shop, you call the customer when the item is ready. I don't care if you are 100% sure it will be ready on a certain day, because it is your duty to call the customer when their item is ready for pick up. Third, I was told my bike would be ready Thursday, but I worked before they opened till after they closed, so Friday I called and got no answer. And I called again and nothing. FInally my third call, after having to wait till I was already on my way to work I get an answer and am told to come get it. Fourth, get bike, no problems. Chain looks good, brakes look fine (the two things I brought my bike in for) basic tune-up, $75. I am excited, what great price, took a week while I am used to three days max, but alright. Then a day passes. Turns out my chain was just greased over super heavily and not cleaned. You have to wipe the chain oil off and work it into the chain, not just slather it on. Then my brakes. I am in the middle of riding home when my brakes all but give up. Luckily I was close to Uptown Bikes, Nora (who is amazing, they all are though) looks at it, pokes here and there, tries a few things and is like, this thing is a mess. One of the back brakes was completely shot. Pad basically gone, the spring completely ruined. Now I mentioned to Gary (or his son) that my brakes weren't working, and all he did was shove it back together with no other care. Nora tells me to come back the next day and she can replace the bad brake with a used but good brake. So I saved money and don't have to fear dying of Chicago's streets! Looks like if I need further bike care I am bussing it to Uptown! read more

I am 35 years old and I've never bought a bike from anyplace else!! It is a nice and small crowded shop, with all the customer service the big box stores have to offer. read more

I do not recommend going to this shop. There tune up costs $75 and nearlynewbikes costs $55. I got new brake pads done by them, which are included in nearlynew's tuneup no charge. Oh, and after $55 for new breaks, by bike still grated against the pads. When I went back they told me it's because I really needed a tune up. Knowing that ahead of time would have been nice. I'm not going to spend upwards of $120 on a bike that's not worth $50.They also definitely have that old-man-will-ignore-you-if-you-look-like-you-have-a-vagina. Aka, it's an old boys club that doesn't explain what they're going to do if they perceive you have no interest in mechanical things. Aka if they perceive you to be female. Overpriced and underenthused. read more

I love Gary's. The people there are great, very low-key and no high-pressure sales. I wanted to buy a bike but I haven't ridden since I was a kid. I had considered just buying one from a big box store until I talked to Gary. He made very very valid points as to why the bikes they sell are lighter and how a cheapo bike can cost more in the long run. The bike I ended up buying is outstanding and I use it a lot. Gary's stands behind their sales and gives you a free 30 day tune up. They are also happy to check your air and top you off if needed. All around good people here. Can't recommend them enough. read more

Went in to Gary's today to get a replacement part for my seat. As others have mentioned, the shop is a bit of a throwback and it's small, but I enjoyed interacting with Gary as he tried to troubleshoot the part I needed. I had actually first tried to go to a bike shop in Evanston (on Davis) to deal with this problem and I couldn't even get anyone to talk to me for 10 minutes and finally left. This while some of the cool kid riders came in and received service right away. So it was a relief to remember Gary's just a few blocks away from my house, go in there, and be treated like a normal human being. I definitely plan to go back for any future bike needs. read more

Went in to get a tuneup and the owner was a total jag. He couldn't even be bothered to say hello. Go to Uptown Bikes, they are much friendlier. read more

Excellent, friendly service, prices, honesty, and a good way to support a neighborhood family business !! Free air for bike tires, too.

I live close by and have been in a couple of times to pick up small items such as a tube and a chain. Both times Rich has been very nice and the first time Gary was there as well though he was pretty busy so we didn't chat. I was actually just in today and chatted with Rich for a long time. I would have to say he is a really nice guy and I really enjoyed chatting with him. I am planning to stop in next week also to pick up a brake lever which they were currently out of. It is a little cramped but it feels very welcoming and there is definitely no attitude like you see in other shops. I would have to say it is one of my favorite shops. read more